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Delegates at the SAYoF commemoration of International Youth Day in Harare yesterday upholded the importance of international human rights to achieve legal and systemic change for women and girls worldwide. Equality Now yesterday joined the world in commemorating International Youth Day under the Theme ‘From Clicks to Progress: Youth Digital Pathways for Sustainable Development.’
International Youth Day is commemorated every year on 12 August to bring youth issues to the attention of the international community and celebrate the potential of youth as partners in today’s global society.
The Day gives an opportunity to celebrate and mainstream young peoples’ voices, actions, and initiatives, as well as their meaningful, universal, and equitable engagement. The UN General Assembly (UNGA) established the Day on 17 December 1999, after it endorsed the recommendation made by the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth calling for 12 August to be declared International Youth Day.
In Commemoration, Equality Now and AUDRi, this year, as part of the 6th Southern Africa Youth Forum under the theme: Empowering the Future: Innovative Education for Sustainable Development in Southern Africa!, convened a commemoration event with young people from Southern Africa focusing on youths and digital rights.
The event aimed to highlight and discuss the opportunities and challenges presented by digital technologies and networks to children and young people in the Southern Africa region using a gendered lens.
It also provided information on ongoing regional and international processes on digital cooperation and the promotion of human rights online. It provided strategies on the role of young people; and aimed to come up with recommendations for SADC member states and other actors that will support the promotion of the rights of children and young people in the digital space.
Tsitsi Matekaire, Equality Now’s Global Lead for Ending Sexual Exploitation highlighted Equality Now’s campaigns advocating for governments to promote and achieve universal digital rights and end online sexual exploitation and abuse.
She informed participants about the UN Global Digital Compact and the need to ensure that young people are at the center of advocacy.
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